I know a lot of you guys own boats or PWC on here. Thought it would be good to have a central location to discuss this kind of stuff, it seems to come up fairly often. Im really looking to pick something up in the winter or spring next year for the following season.

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I recently had a sex change and bought a 10’ Prius.

1993 Polaris SL750 - 750cc 3 Cyl wave runner. Thing is old and slow but so much god damn fun. Blew a piston in late 2010 and sat all last summer I want to buy it and fix it but my grandma won't sell it to me for some reason.

A Pontoon boat older than me with a 10 horse on it.

My other grandparents have a 1988 36' Carver Cabin Cruiser that he bought new back then. Twin 454's under the deck. He uses it for pleasure (obviously) and down-rigger fishing.

At their house in Florida, he has a sexy ass 2008 ProLine 29' center counsle walkaround fishing boat with twin Supercharged Merc. 250 outboards.

Im really torn on what I want. As most of you guys, im a bit of a speed addict, but a powerboat is pretty damn impractical for a relaxing day on the water. Ive been eyeing the baja 272 islander with the merc 502 mag in it. Best of both worlds really. Id be fine with a smaller motor too. Really wanting something to take out on lake michigan, so a 25'+ boat.

New boat prices are so fucking outrageous. I'll more than likely end up with something around 10yrs old. If it has a newer look and solid drive train, everything else can be re done and updated easily

Im really torn on what I want. As most of you guys, im a bit of a speed addict, but a powerboat is pretty damn impractical for a relaxing day on the water. Ive been eyeing the baja 272 islander with the merc 502 mag in it. Best of both worlds really. Id be fine with a smaller motor too. Really wanting something to take out on lake michigan, so a 25'+ boat.

New boat prices are so fucking outrageous. I'll more than likely end up with something around 10yrs old. If it has a newer look and solid drive train, everything else can be re done and updated easily

You're going to want at least 25' for Michigan. And to the Baja. My 'rents got a Baja 40 Outlaw (where my SN is from lol) and we've had a 29 outlaw and an h2x previously. They're great boats.

I bought my Century at the end of last season and love it. Its too expensive to make boats go fast, so for now I got one with room for 6, and will sleep four and I absolutely love it.

With a Baja for example, it's a bit more of a performance boat but they don't have all of the creature comforts.

I have to disagree. Compared to many other. performance boats, Baja is one that has the ample creature comforts. More so that any fountain or formula. They're wide ass boats with a deep-v hull, giving the cabin area much more room.

A little bit of both jason. I want a boat i can just go anchor up with and relax, something you can ski or tube behind, some decent deck space, but will clip along at a nice pace too. Absolutely going to be something open bow. I like the idea of a cuddy cabin, but i think realistically im never going to use it enough to warrant that over an open bow.

I have to disagree. Compared to many other. performance boats, Baja is one that has the ample creature comforts. More so that any fountain or formula. They're wide ass boats with a deep-v hull, giving the cabin area much more room.

What I was comparing is something like a Baja to a SeaRay, Chaparral, Regal, Cobalt etc. Those models are going to have a much nicer cabin but you are going to give up a few mph.

A little bit of both jason. I want a boat i can just go anchor up with and relax, something you can ski or tube behind, some decent deck space, but will clip along at a nice pace too. Absolutely going to be something open bow. I like the idea of a cuddy cabin, but i think realistically im never going to use it enough to warrant that over an open bow.

Cuddy Cabin is nice because it gives you a place to sleep in needed. Are you going to tow it or keep on the lake?

I have to disagree. Compared to many other. performance boats, Baja is one that has the ample creature comforts. More so that any fountain or formula. They're wide ass boats with a deep-v hull, giving the cabin area much more room.

I wouldnt say that a baja has more creture comforts than a fountian or formula but you will pay half as much for the baja rather than the other two, the fountian is a much deeper v but very narrow, formula's are fuckin tanks but very expencive, it all comes down to what you want to spend and what you want out of the boat, for a lake michigan boat I personaly would get either an apachie, cigarette, late 80's scarab, powerquest, or a formula fast tech all are very heavy very deep v boats that have beds under the bow and will still move out pretty good while handeling some serious water

Cuddy Cabin is nice because it gives you a place to sleep in needed. Are you going to tow it or keep on the lake?

the deck space is really what kills it for me though. Without spending some money and getting a lot bigger boat, its hard to seat more than 5 comfortably. It would be nice to have a place to crash though!

Id keep it on the water. I dont own a tow vehicle and refuse to buy one just to move a boat around. I know enough people with trucks to tow it out at the beginning and end of the season. A mooring can or star dock spot isnt that outrageous at one of the chicago harbors.

I think what really kills boat ownership for a lot of people is having to make a huge project of going out on the water. Hook up and prep the boat every time, towing and the gas associated, paying to launch, hooking the boat back up. I want to drive somewhere, hop in the boat, and get back in my car again.

i really like that boat too, but a little more than i want to spend. I either have to buy something around $10k and pay cash for it, or spend over $20k to even be considered for financing from most places. Looking to spend 25-30k